


해, 달, 별

by krucxa



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Library, Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Attempt at Humor, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, GOD DAMMIT THIS FIC WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE THIS ANGSTY, Han Jisung | Han is Whipped, Light Angst, M/M, SO, anyway woojin and minho are librarians, everyone will appear at some point, his job is to find people soulmates, i guess??, jisung is a Cupid, minsung is the endgame, poor jisung will have an existential crisis ghjksdhgks, so dw, the fact that this tag now exists is Valid !, there's a tag for this??, this actually. gets kinda sad at times??, tho most of the time it's Soft, you'll just have to bear with me for some time uwu
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2018-08-27
Packaged: 2019-06-11 01:11:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15304128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/krucxa/pseuds/krucxa
Summary: It's four in the morning and Jisung can't believe just howstupidhumans can be at times.





	1. you're my sun

**Author's Note:**

> woOOOO i'm back!! again. hm. idk i had this idea at like 1am but writing it now i feel like it's not as great as it seemed back then gkjhgkjsh but!! i'm still gonna write it :/ for the sake of the 1am Past Me  
> also, if you're looking for an explanation?? yeah...... i don't know either ghksjh  
> anyway? enjoy?? hopefully??  
> (unbeta'd. because it's me. i'll probably only beta it like a few days after publishing it hgkjhKJHFKS)  
> oH ALSO the title is from a KNK's song uwu

It's four in the morning and Jisung can't believe just how _stupid_ humans can be at times.

There's a man sitting in front of a laptop, his eyes closed and his head slowly shifting downwards as he sleeps. A melody drifts from the speakers, almost shyly, the notes filling the room, suddenly cutting off just to start from the beginning again - unfinished, despite the boy staying up for so long Jisung lost track of time.

There's two boxes of take out lying on the desk, and a half empty water bottle in the perfect reach. It's not an ideal meal, but he's just glad that it's at least something.

The boy has drifted off not that long ago, and Jisung slowly takes in his appearance - the curly, but dishelved hair, the exhausted slouch of his body and the dark circles under his eyes.

"Christopher Bang," he murmurs under his breath as he takes a few steps closer, gently wrapping a blanket over the boy's shoulder, "we need to find you someone who could take care of you," he stops, glancing at the laptop from the corner of his eye, before quietly shutting it off as he adds in, his eyebrows furrowed the slightest bit, "since you can't do it yourself, apparently."

The mumble that leaves the boy's mouth at that sounds almost offended, and Jisung snickers lightly before patting his arm.

"Don't worry, I won't half-ass this. You're pretty cool and I like you, so," he reassures, pulling out his phone from the pocket of his grey hoodie. He glances at the screen, clicking his tongue as he scrolls down his notes, pages of information he's already obtained, and he let's himself lean on the desk, sighing.

_This is going to take some time._

He stretches his neck, lazily taking a peek at the sleeping boy next to him.

"Wouldn't it be fun if you woke up and saw me in your room?" he wonders aloud, watching as Chris' eyebrows wrinkle, and his thoughts quickly follow up with a _no, I don't want any cops after me_.

Not that anyone could actually get a hold of him. He's a Cupid, after all; they have their ways with humans.

Jisung looks back at his phone, his head tilting to the side as he continues on reading, skipping a few sentences every now and then because _hey_ , it's not his fault that he has the attention span of an over excited squirell.

But then his eyes widen for a moment an he hums, satisfied.

"Okay, so, you're gonna crash from overworking yourself tomorrow, right? It's going to happen in front of a library, at exactly three in the afternoon, but a dude's gonna see you and take you inside. Later you'll wake up and boom! You'll have no idea when you'll fall for him. And his name is..." he glances back at his phone, squinting for a second, before continuing, "Kim Woojin."

The name sends a shock through the air, an aura of red filling the space between the two and Jisung shivers, still not quite used to the feeling, despite being a Cupid for such a long time by now.

"What do you think, Chris?"

The boy turns in his sleep, his eyelashes fluttering slightly and Jisung can't hold back a grin as he scrambles closer, gently grasping the boy's hand.

"That's what I thought," he whispers, before tying a soulmate string around his pinky, right under a silver ring he didn't even notice before, and he admires his work for a second before turning back, checking his new assignment.

**Lee Minho** , reads the note, and the corner of his lips quirks up, already positive this one is going to be easy.

▪

He's looking out the window when it happens.

It's not surprising as he sees Chris fall down, neither is the sudden gasp that he hears as a librarian shoots past him, running out of the building, and he smiles lightly, hiding it behind his hands - because everything goes as planned, and he deletes his notes on a certain Christopher before he turns to glance around the room.

The library isn't too big, but it has this cozy atmosphere about it, and Jisung can't help but like it.

It's also convenient, because as he attached Woojin and Chris together, he had no idea his next assignment also worked here.

He sneaks a subtle look at the boy standing behind the counter, his elbows propped on top of it in a lazy fashion, his gaze sweeping from the various shelves to the few people inside; their eyes meeting for a second before Jisung looks away.

There's something about him that Jisung can't quite put his finger on.

It's a little disoriating, especially as he doesn't have any outstanding looks, or, really, anything else - but something about his piercing stare, his relaxed posture and interested tilt of his head makes Jisung's brain short circuit.

It's a little confusing, and he might be not as confident about this case anymore.

But today he's not here to find Minho his soulmate yet, so he lets himself lean back into his chair as he watches Woojin carry the fainted boy in.

And later, he just _listens_.

(It's not until two hours later that Chris slowly wakes up, his eyes fluttering open as the bell above the door in the library chimes joyfully, and Jisung watches from the side as his eyes widen comically, and it takes a lot of self control for him not to laugh out loud.

The boy looks lost, his eyes blinking blankly a few times before moving rapidly, taking in the entire building in blind panic.

Honestly, Jisung would feel bad for scaring the poor boy, if not for the fact that barely a few seconds later, Woojin notices he's now awake.

"Relax, everything's okay. You just fainted outside the library, so I had to get you inside," he murmurs quickly, grabbing two, already prepared before, mugs of hot chocolate before walking closer, careful not to spill either, and he glances at Chris, his gaze soft and smile present, as not to scare the other any more, "here, drink this. I would make you some coffe, but..." his eyes shift away as he extends one of his hand in Chris' direction, "you know, I don't think that would be a good idea right now."

The boy blinks again, but otherwise is quick to reach out for the hot chocolate, already feeling a sort of trust between himself and the librarian.

Maybe it was the gentle grin on his lips, or the cautious way he spoke - the boy wasn't sure.

But Jisung knew, that the whole feeling of trust appeared so quickly because of the invisible to their eye, bright red string that linked them both together.

Of course, it didn't mean the entire thing was fake - quite the opposite, actually.

It just sped up the process of getting to know each other, a kind of bond forming between the chosen people that usually would take much more time to build - but really, no Cupid had that much time to waste, so they had to do it this way.

Anyway, in Jisung's opinion it was still natural - kind of.

Not every single person needed a Cupid to help them find a _soulmate_. Quite a lot of them either found their own soulmates already, or felt good enough on their own. It's the lonely people that needed a Cupid's help, that were a little problem.

Because without the Cupid's help, they would never meet the person that would later come to being their soulmate - a Cupid just, gave them a little push in the right direction, and usually that was all that was needed.

With these two, for example, Jisung was already sure his job was done. Especially judging by the shy smiles they kept shooting each other, a quiet conversation filling the room as they sipped on the hot chocolate, nobody really bothered by the chatter - honestly, it's not like there were that many people in the first place to do so.

But as he glanced at his new assignment, a shiver ran down his spine, and for some reason, he just _knew_ that this wasn't going to go as smoothly as he first thought it would.

_Lee Minho_ , he thought, _what am I going to do with you?_ )


	2. attempt #1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter was supposed to be longer but hksjdh i guess since it's only the _first_ attempt it doesn't have to be THAT long?? :/  
>  anyway, i hope you'll enjoy this one <33

It isn't until the next day that Jisung starts his work.

He spent the whole night researching about his new assignment, the library and the usuals that went there, looking for someone, anyone, that would fit the Possible Soulmate Criteria - until he fell asleep with a satisfied smile and a note with the person's name clutched in his hands.

He wakes up to the sound of rain thudding against his window, thunder muffled by the walls and he takes a deep breath in before rolling out of the bed.

Rain is something he's grown to enjoy, and he lets himself stare at the little drops hurrying down the glass - only then does he throw the blankets back on the bed and he stretches his back, thinking about what he has to do today.

Minho will visit a coffee shop this day, Jisung knows that already from his notes, and if he doesn't want to miss the boy, he's going to have to hurry.

Like, actually. His power nap took much more time than he first thought it would.

So he scrambles to put some socially acceptable clothes on before rushing out of his house; a jacket quickly thrown over his body as a way to protect himself from the pouring water, shoelaces threatening to untie any moment, and he would probably put more care into all of this, if he wasn't so determined to get to the café on time.

(Honestly, it's kind of a blessing he doesn't live that far from it; a perk of being a Cupid, he guesses. He lives close to _everything_ \- it was a little confusing at first, but he got used to it.)

It's his first day of work with this Lee Minho, after all - and hopefully, the last one, if luck is on his side.

▪

His clothes are mostly soaked when he gets there, his wet fringe sticking to his forehead and he frowns at the stubborn locks before wiping his face and brushing them away.

Right as he is about to enter, he fishes out his phone out of his jacket and checks the hour - sighing in relief when he realizes that, he still has a few minutes before Minho comes in.

So he walks up to the counter, slumping into one of the chairs in front of it and smiles at the barista, asking for some hot chocolate - he's always liked it more than coffee, anyway.

As he waits, he sips on the drink, listening to the gentle sound of hushed chatter around him and occasional laughter, and he lets himself smile against the edge of the cup - it's calming, in its own way.

The rain tunes out the honks of the cars outside, and his hand flies up to once again fidget with his still wet hair - it's drying, slowly, but too slow for his liking - and then he hears the door of the shop opening and he glances back from the corner of his eye.

It's quarter to ten when Minho shuffles in, just as he predicted, and he sees the boy freeze in his spot for a second, his eyes widening as he looks at- 

As he looks at Jisung.

And this wasn't written in his notes.

Technically, this shouldn't have happened. His research didn't mention anything close to this - for the first time since he became a Cupid.

It's a little disorienting, he has to admit - but he ignores the slip of anxiousness dipping in his chest and turns back, facing the counter again.

He still feels the burn of Minho's eyes on his back, but it dims in a few seconds and he hears the chair next to him dragging against the floor lightly before a familiar silhouette sits next to him.

He doesn't look at Minho, but the boy's voice fills the space between them as he orders a coffee of his own - his voice way gentler than Jisung expected it to sound at first.

"Why do you drink hot chocolate in a coffee shop?" says the same voice, and it takes a second for Jisung to realize that Minho is speaking to him; and he turns to the other with a shy smile, though his eyebrows knitted the slightest bit at the question.

"It's on the menu, isn't it?" he huffs, his thumb rubbing the cup unconsciously as he continues, "besides, it's not as bitter as coffee is."

The boy cocks his eyebrows at that, the corner of his lips turning up in amusement.

"You know you can just add some sugar?"

Jisung shoots him an exasperated look, which earns him a chuckle from the other.

It's weird, how comfortable it feels to hold a conversation with Minho.

They fall silent for a minute, Minho sipping on his drink, his eyes closed as he appreciates the taste - and Jisung has to will himself into looking away.

He knows that this is it, the perfect moment to tie the soulmate string around Minho's pinky, and he doesn't waste any time as he taps the cup he's holding, a red line appearing around the other boy's finger and circling it slowly - just to finally sink, secured in its place.

"Are you an angel?"

Minho's voice pulls him out of his thoughts and he blinks a few times, confused.

_A Cupid, actually_ , passes through his mind, and he laughs, flustered, instead if replying.

(Later, as he leaves the café, the name _Seo Changbin_ leaves his lips - painting his entire vision in soft hues of red, but for some reason, it doesn't feel right.)

▪

He still visits the library that day - not immediately, of course, because that could've been dubbed as slightly suspicious of him to do - but he knows, that Changbin was going to be there as well.

So Jisung apologies to the boy in his mind for changing his plans, and takes a seat by the window. A perfect spot to watch as it happens.

Changbin is... kind of short, Jisung has to be honest.

It's not like Jisung is much taller, really - he knows way too well that he isn't one of the average height neither - and as Changbin stands on his tip toes just to reach the book he wants to check out, Jisung can't help ut _relate_.

It doesn't take long until Minho notices - which, again, doesn't surprise Jisung. This time everything seems to go exactly as he planned.

But something still stirs in his chest as he watches the blonde approach Changbin, grabbing the book with ease and handing it to the shorter boy with a teasing grin.

Then they talk.

And talk.

And Jisung still can't get rid of the feeling, that something is _wrong_.

The two joke around for the next few minutes, exchanging fleeting smiles and a casual touch every now and then, their gazes soft yet their voices just a tad bit too loud for being in a library.

Jisung is pretty sure he sees Woojin glance at Minho, a disapproving glint in his eyes, but he doesn't actually do anything about the situation, leaving the duo to their loud chatter - just to turn to his phone, a smile finding its place on his lips, so wide it reaches his eyes.

And Jisung doesn't actually have to guess to know who he's texting with.

It fills him with a sense of pride, but the feeling disappears quickly as he turns back to Minho and Changbin.

But then his eyes widen as he notices the soulmate string between them.

It's not red, as it usually is - instead, sometime in between Minho and Changbin meeting and Jisung looking away, it turned pale, the color fading as a pastel yellow takes its place, and Jisung?

Jisung just gawks at it.

It's when he realizes the empty space between the duo, Changbin's smile straining against his lips as Minho makes a pun that doesn't exactly fit the boy's type of humor - and then an awkward silence fills the air, Woojin feigning a cough to dispel it.

"Sorry," Jisung can hear Minho mutter, and the younger just shrugs instead of replying, a hand nervously tugging at the sleeve of his shirt before he finds an excuse to leave to the bathroom.

As the boy walks away, Jisung watches blankly as the string unties itself, dragging against the floor as it follows after Changbin for a while, just to disappear in the end, shades of yellow filling the room - a sign of friendship, say Jisung's notes, even if it doesn't exactly feel like it.

(People like to say that opposites attract.

Jisung doesn't really agree.

He realizes it two hours later, as he sits in his room, staring dumbfounded at the pages of information scattered across his desk - he doesn't bother to put them away, as they're something he reaches for with a determined hand every day.

The thing is, Minho and Changbin were just a little bit _too_ different.

Which means, more work for Jisung.

He heaves a tired sigh before letting his head drop on top of the desk. _This is going to be a long night._ )

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YES minho is blonde in this, fight me


	3. attempt #2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm back with a chapter that's almost 3k words long, are y'all happy? ghksdjhgksjd  
> even tho i have to admit, the ending is kinda sucky hgjkdsh but i'm. too tired to rewrite it so!  
> also. unbeta'd. cause it's me ghsdkjgsh

Here's the thing. Jisung doesn't actually know what he's doing.

This case is confusing. He's sure he's going to crack it eventually, proud of finally finishing the tough assignment, but he also knows that it's going to take some time.

He doesn't even dare question as to why, though.

He likes the sweet, sweet taste of denial once in a while.

(Even if it is, in fact, actually more bittersweet than anything else, really.)

Instead, he scrunches his nose at the unpleasant smell filling the locker room he found himself in, and he looks quickly around, checking for the one person he went out of his way to see right now.

When he decided to check out this human called Hwang Hyunjin, he didn't expect to appear in a place like _this_. The air barely clear enough for him to breathe, a row of lockers standing tall in front of him, most of them either barely closed or clearly left open - it's not like anyone would willingly come here to steal anything, though.

But he doesn't really have any right to judge, does he?

The doors to the room are opened, and he doesn't think much before peering out into the hallway; startling at the sight of a boy leaning over a vending machine. It's kind of stupid, he knows - it's not like he wasn't expecting to see anyone here - so he quickly gathers himself before taking a longer look at the person.

The boy's eyebrows knitted together in annoyance as he pouted, his hands gripping the edges of the machine; a barely noticeable mole finding its place under his eye, his black hair disheveled and sticking to the skin of his face as he nibbled on his lips, deep in thoughts. A pair of sweats casually thrown over his body - Jisung assumes the boy's on a break from a dance practice, or something like that.

Ans it's not really a surprise to him that Hyunjin is good looking; it was mentioned in his notes, how he seemed to unknowingly break a lot of hearts - it kind of makes Jisung self-conscious about his own looks, though.

Because even while sweaty, Hyunjin still somehow manages to look breathtaking - and Jisung finds it ironic, how as a Cupid, he should be the one of them to care less about his appearance.

He doesn't, though.

And right as he's about to fall into a depressing thought process, the boy's head suddenly shoots up and he looks straight at Jisung - intimidating, at first, but it takes less than a second for his gaze to soften and he chuckles, glancing back down at the vending machine.

"Did you wanna buy something? Because fair warning, this one doesn't really work."

Jisung can't think of a way to describe Hyunjin's voice, not really. He just knows that it perfectly fits his stupidly handsome face, and it takes him a second to realize that he has to answer - so he just nods, an awkward smile pulling at his lips, as he fails to find anything to actually say.

But Hyunjin doesn't seem to mind, mirroring Jisung's expression with a bright grin - then, he kicks the vending machine, light enough as not to break it, but hard enough to make it spit out the bottle of water it didn't want to let go of before.

There's a satisfied glint in Hyunjin's eyes as he picks it up, and they share a look before the boy waves a quick goodbye - and Jisung takes it as a sign to go, quickly shuffling back, and tripping on his way out with a muffled curse.

(He's pretty sure he hears the boy giggle at his flustered appearance, before muttering lowly, _and you, don't you even try to vore my drinks ever again_.

It's all it takes for Jisung to decide that he likes the guy.)

▪

The park is almost empty due to the late hour, the tree standing proudly by the bench he's sitting on not _quite_ enough to hide the view of stars shining gently above, and Jisung is slowly losing his patience.

No, maybe _losing patience_ is a tiny bit too much of a strong wording. It's just that, it's just a tad frustrating, as he stares straight forward, waiting for a familiar silhouette to appear in front of the bus stop - just to sigh as it doesn't seem to happen.

He quickly checks the time again, glancing at the slightly beaten up phone in his hands, his gaze falling back to the street and his lips twitch when he finds out nothing has changed.

Being a Cupid usually required a lot of patience - something that Jisung didn't have much of.

But it's fine, he tells himself, before glancing at the dark, dark sky.

He sees the leaves shifting in a sudden gush of wind, the trees rumbling and the air much colder than he'd prefer it to - and the back of his neck tingles as he shivers, the hoodie he's wearing too thin to keep him warm.

There's a pair of earphones hanging from his neck freely, Astro's _Always You_ playing gently, muffled slightly by the sound of cars passing, and it's relaxing, kind of.

So he closes his eyes, taking a deep breath, and wills himself to calm down.

His fingers tap the edge of the bench to the tune as the cold sips through his clothes, and really, was it a good idea to wear the stupid ripped jeans?

_But it's worth it_ , defend him his own thoughts, reminding him of all the curious looks people kept shooting him that evening, a great boost for his self-conscious mood.

He might not say it out loud, but he likes it.

He likes it because after all the time he's spent staring at the mirror, judging the way he looks, just to aggressively avoid his own reflection - it makes him forget, just for some time.

So, in the end, it's just kind of nice.

There's another breeze that passes by, tickling him lightly and he scrunches his nose at it, before shooting a quick look to the bus stop - blinking a few times as he sees the person he's been waiting for, a grin finding its place on his lips barely seconds later.

Hyunjin is standing on his tiptoes in the sidewalk, staring off into the street, probably looking for the bus - his eyebrows furrowed, his bottom lip jutted out slightly and he looks down at his phone, his thumb tapping the screen a few times before he's finally satisfied - with what? Jisung has no idea, but he's not really that desperate to know.

The bus will be late, Jisung remembers that from his notes, but he can't help but feel Hyunjin's patience mixed with disappointment as the boy waits and yet another minute passes by.

"Hwang Hyunjin," he whispers, careful enough so that his voice gets lost with the wind, "tomorrow, you'll stumble in front of a library you didn't even know the existence of before. It's where you'll run into a certain person and maybe, if everything goes right, literally fall for them."

He can't help but snicker at his own pun, before taking a deep breath to calm himself down.

Then, his eyes flutter closed, and as he opens them again, a red string has found its place, attached to Hyunjin's finger in a gentle wave, and for now, his work is done here.

At least, he hopes it is.

A quiet mewl reaches his ears and he looks down, confused, just to see a black cat sitting under the bench, it's gaze focused on him, _judging_.

He sticks out his tongue at it, but after it meows again, he extends his hand, waiting a few seconds, before petting it.

His work may be done, but he might just stay here for a while, after all.

▪

(He squints at his own reflection in the mirror, his gaze slowly inching from the, a few sizes too big hoodie to the sunglasses perched on top of his nose, their frames an almost obnoxious shade of yellow and his brows furrow as he hums.

This time, he can't hide anywhere, and if anyone notices him staring at two people in plain sight, it's probably going to look suspicious. Especially if it's either of the duo, even more if it's specifically, his assignment.

So the least he can do is hide his identity.

And aren't disguises fun?

_Maybe a little bit too much, actually_ , he thinks, as the corner of his lips tilts up, a bubble of pure joy filling his chest - even though, it feels like there's still something missing.

He pulls on the hood, jutting out his lower lip when it's still not exactly what he has in mind, but then his gaze falls on the fake mustache lying on the sink.

It doesn't take much thought before he slaps it on.)

▪

What's a better way to stand out than standing by the pedestrian crossing, without actually crossing the street?

Surprisingly, Jisung could name a few, but this one is really high on the list of Suspicious Things To Do - but he can't really do anything else, can he?

It's the perfect place to watch as everything happens, at least, even if he does get a few weird looks.

And okay, maybe that fake mustache was a _bit too much_ , so what?

He looks funny - it's a shame that no other Cupid works in this same town, because if so, Jisung would've already shown them his amazing disguise, and now he can only snicker at the thought, alone.

His sunglasses slip a little down to the tip of his nose as he glances at the truck in front of the library, and he quickly pushes it up, alarmed.

Minho still is nowhere to be seen, and Jisung knows that he got here a tad early, but _damn_. The truck is already here, so why does it take Minho so much time to notice it?

Jisung scrunches his nose at the thought, before his gaze falls to a single dog passing him by. He wishes he could run after it and pet it but, sadly, he has a job to do.

So he takes a deep breath, releasing it slowly and looks back to the library - just to see its door closing as Minho bounces towards the truck, his eyes glinting in excitement when he reaches the back, disappearing from Jisung's sight before coming back with a stack of books in his hands - a full grin finding its place on his lips as he shouts something to the driver, and really, Jisung knew the boy was passionate about books, but not to that extent.

It kind of, takes him aback.

And maybe his breath stutters when he sees the way Minho's blonde hair got disheveled in his hurry to get the books, looking so unbelievably soft that Jisung even wonders briefly, if he should ask the other what shampoo he uses.

But there's no witness to see his internal struggle - so really, if anything, people can only judge him for the way he looks right now.

Really. He would too.

But then, he sees a figure rush past him, and he knows, that this is it.

There's music blaring from Hyunjin's earphones, so loud he could easily pick it up, but also so that Hyunjin can't actually hear anything happening - and that's exactly what makes him crash right into an unsuspecting Minho.

Neither of them fully realize what happens until the thud of the books falling down on the street jolts Hyunjin from his surprise and he bends down quickly, apologies spilling from his lips and the panicked look in his eyes seems almost comical to Jisung.

He watches as Minho blinks, stunned, before the boy slowly joins the younger in picking up the books - Hyunjin's earphones hanging from his neck, ripped away from the collision, easily forgotten.

And as Hyunjin hands the blonde what he's picked up, the silence finally shatters, with Minho's amused chuckle.

It's kind of different from Jisung's last attempt, as this one doesn't hit it off as quickly, but there's a soft glint in Minho's eye as he looks up at the younger, and Hyunjin's cheeks seem to gain a rosy tint to them, so Jisung feels like this time, it might be it - or, last a bit longer, at least.

He can't hear what is said from the distance, but Hyunjin follows Minho inside the library - just to stumble out a few minutes later with the other next to him, both walking up to the truck again, and Jisung thinks this might be all his work here.

But, just to be sure, he waits there until Hyunjin finally leaves - a new string of numbers on his phone and a shy smile on his face - keeping him company as the boy goes home.

And a few excited texts and new plans made later, Jisung knows what he has to do tomorrow.

▪

Finding out your favorite things takes time, is what he's come to believe.

People like to talk about favorite songs, favorite scents, scratch that, favorite type of bread, even. The more specific, the better, apparently, but the thing is, whenever anyone asks him about his own favorites, he always finds himself speechless.

Because, as a Cupid, did he really have the time to waste thinking about such things as _favorites_?

(He kind of wishes he did, though.)

But as he sits on the tea shop's balcony, surrounded by vines growing around the railing, he takes a sip of his drink and he suddenly realizes it. Favorites are something that you slowly grow to like, something you find yourself coming back to again and again, even if almost unconsciously - it's what you surround yourself with for comfort and what you go out of your way to see.

He hesitates, his hand gripping the cup in place and the scent of green tea fills his lungs - then it dawns on him, just how warm it makes him feel.

Perhaps, this is exactly what people call a favorite, but he doesn't dare call it that.

He's a Cupid, not a human. He doesn't have the right to have something precious as that.

(It's times like these when he watches his assignments from afar, the bitter taste of jealousy reminding him of what he'll never get to experience.)

He can see, from the corner of his eye, both Hyunjin and Minho sitting inside the building, their legs knocking against each other under the table every now and then, and it's going well.

Really well, actually.

The two share the same passions, love similar things and maybe even compliment each other perfectly.

(It makes Jisung wonder whether he'll ever get to meet a person he'd fit with as well.)

He shakes his head quickly, his eyebrows furrowing at the thought. What's gotten into him lately? The thoughts haunting him are strange, unfamiliar, the feeling bittersweet like nothing he knows.

His chest hurts. He doesn't understand it.

He can faintly hear the muffled laughter coming from the inside, a charming murmur followed by a shy giggle, and for some reason - it makes him feel sick.

He's certain he's seen enough but as he stands up, ready to leave, a ringtone suddenly goes off and Hyunjin excuses himself with an embarrassed smile, before walking away - and, in result, ending up right next to the window Jisung's table is at.

It's a video call, that Jisung can fell - and Hyunjin's eyes soften as he glances at the name, not wasting any time to accept it.

Barely a second later, a boy appears on the screen, still in pajamas, a blanket thrown casually over his body - and it's easy to tell he's barely keeping himself awake, as his eyes threaten to close any time now.

His hair is disheveled, a single strand of it falling right in front of the boy's eyes, and the only word Jisung could describe him with right now is _adorable_.

"What's up, sleepyhead?" Hyunjin whispers instead of a greeting, unable to hold back a smile as the other replies with a huff.

"What, can't I call you without a reason?" murmurs the boy, pouting slightly as he continues, "we haven't seen each other in two days now, I missed you. Is that how you should treat your best friend, you dumbass?"

A light chuckle leaves Hyunjin's lips at the words, his eyes glinting with something - something Jisung can't quite put his finger on.

"Grumpy as always, I see."

The boy smacks his lips and Jisung's chest fills with anxiety at the frown he sends Hyunjin's way; but the other doesn't seem to mind, a genuine smile pulling at his lips as he looks at the screen of his phone.

"Okay, okay, I'll drop by today. Is that okay, Seungmin?"

And as he speaks, his voice hushed and somewhat warmer than barely seconds before, that's when Jisung finally realizes exactly _why_ the boy seems such at ease while talking with the other - honestly, he can't quite believe it he didn't notice it before.

Because it dawns on him - Hyunjin's heart already belongs to Seungmin.

(Jisung is a cupid. His job is to shape a bond of love between people, not to end it.

That's why, as he watches Hyunjin chat softly with the sleepy boy, he shatters the soulmate string linking him with Minho on his own.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uhhhhhhhhhhhhh does my hyunjin bias show :^) anyway hope you enjoyed this chapter!! <33  
> (also special shoutout to eden because i know you're reading this and uhhhhhh you rlly helped me with my writers block hdsgk <33333)  
> if anything in this chapter didnt make sense then I'm Sowwy i haven't properly slept in like. 24h?? maybe more???? what is a Math and when will my exhausted brain understand it lmao


	4. attempt #3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter isn't as long as the last one, but it's still longer than the first two so i'm Satisfied with it uwu  
> hope you'll enjoy this one as well <33

"Oh, angel! So we meet again!"

Jisung startles from where he's sitting on the side of his balcony, glancing quickly down at the street before him - just to see a smiley Minho look back at him.

He can't stop his eyebrows from shooting up at the sight, blinking a few times, stunned.

There's a loose, mustard yellow sweater thrown over Minho's body, the sleeves of it pushed up to his elbows and the front tucked into a pair of sweatpants - the shoes he's wearing almost untied, and barely holding themselves together - a clear sign he wasn't out to impress anyone, he probably didn't even bother changing his clothes before leaving his house.

And usually, Jisung would scrunch his nose at that, but for some reason, a part of his brain thinks the boy looks as beautiful as always - maybe even soft.

It leaves him wordless for a few seconds.

"What are you doing here?" he finally blurts out, wiggling in his spot nervously as he watches the blonde's grin deepening.

Minho reaches up his hand, waving it side to side and that's when Jisung notices the shopping bag he's holding.

"Just grocery shopping. What are _you_ doing though?"

Jisung looks down at his own self, sitting comfortably on top of a pillow, his hands joined, a few lit up candles surrounding him and he smiles awkwardly, scratching his neck lightly.

"...Meditating?"

The word comes out as more of a question than a statement, but the other doesn't comment on it - which, Jisung is glad for, because how else could he describe communicating with his higher-ups?

"So I was right! You are an angel," murmurs the blonde and Jisung stills for a second before glancing at Minho, his eyebrows furrowed, "what? Angels don't meditate."

The boy only wiggles his eyebrows at him in response.

"How do you know?"

_Because only Cupids and Grim Reapers do that._

Instead of saying that out loud, Jisung just smacks his lips before pouting slightly, a weak excuse leaving his lips, "just a wild guess."

Again, Minho doesn't seem to believe him, but the boy just shrugs and turns around, ready to leave, a murmur of _goodbye, my angel_ thrown over his shoulder.

If Jisung's cheeks burn after that, nobody needs to know.

▪

It's two in the morning and Jisung wonders if really not a single person in this town has a consistent sleep schedule.

Okay, maybe he's not in the right place to judge, but he's a Cupid. He has things to do, and that excuses all his poor attempts at rest.

But who would, willingly, go out of their way and visit a music store in the middle of the night?

Minho, apparently.

This dude is going to get himself killed one day, Jisung thinks as he watches the blonde from behind the counter, having pulled some strings the night before to officially work there - specifically, the night shift.

Usually, he wouldn't really go for the night shift, but if it's for his assignment, he guesses he can make an exception.

Also, the shop actually has a nice, comfortable vibe about it.

The lights aren't too bright, the walls painted dark colors, so his eyes don't protest against working - a soothing melody coming from the speakers, not too loud, but also not so quiet you have to listen for it in order to actually hear it.

There's a little panel for him to switch the music whenever he wants.

So yeah, he likes the job.

He might actually stay with it for some time.

( _What?_ )

He blinks, glancing at his hands gripping the counter a little bit too tightly to not be painful.

He's a Cupid. _This_ is his job. It's what he was made for, what he's known all his life - the entire reason he's alive, even.

Doing something like this for a day is normal for Cupids - normal, since it's only in order to crack a case quicker.

But _staying_ as a worker? In a _music store_?

Since when does he think like a human?

There's an uncomfortable feeling in his tummy and his vision blurs for a second. He winces, bringing his hand up to his forehead.

What's going on with him lately?

It's probably the amount of just how much time he's been spending in the human world lately. Probably.

A sudden knock pulls him out of his thoughts and he looks up just in time to see a boy poking his head inside, glancing both sides before actually stumbling inside.

Half of his face stuffed into a thick scarf despite the fact Jisung is _pretty sure_ it's not so cold outside it's necessary - but hey, he's not going to judge - his hair an obviously dyed shade of yellow, reminding Jisung of a pudding.

(His stomach grumbles and he wonders, since when does he feel hunger - something that Cupids, technically, aren't meant to feel.)

There's a long, cross earring dangling from the boys ear. It's fascinating, kind of.

Jisung can't stop himself from staring at it.

But then, something in his mind clicks and he glances at Minho, then back at the newcomer, and a sudden, completely crazy idea strucks him.

He has no idea who is the blonde boy. He doesn't know what kind of person he is, what has he gone through, or what he likes and what he doesn't.

But what if, hypothetically speaking, he paired him up with his assignment?

Because, isn't a meeting in the middle of the night such a romantic cliche?

This might sound dumb, but he's _tired_. He's tired of this case, tired of how it ends up badly whenever he actually tries, so maybe if he half-asses this, just maybe, this time it would work?

So he quickly checks his phone, finding the newcomer's name almost immediately, and he smiles lightly before mouthing, _Felix Lee_.

He's pretty sure he sees Minho flinch from the corner of his eye as the red string appears, but when he actually looks at the other he seems unbothered - and Jisung shakes his head lightly, because it's not like humans can actually _see_ soulmate strings.

Right?

It's impossible, Jisung nods to himself and turns to watch Felix again, the boy walking over to where Minho's looking through a few albums.

"Is that Day6?" he says as he points at the one Minho's holding, an excited glint in his eyes as he recognizes the cover.

His voice is easily heard over the music and Minho looks up, startled, before glancing at the album in his hands and back at the boy, his eyes widened the slightest bit.

"Yeah," he murmurs, though this time Jisung has to try harder to actually hear him.

It doesn't seem to bother Felix, as he only grins in reply before grabbing the same album and bringing it up to his face.

"Cool! I like them, even though I haven't listened to this one yet," he quickly turns it around, checking the prize before glancing at Minho, "do you think I should?"

It's what finally makes the other crack a smile, and he bobs his head to the side, one of his eyebrows rising teasingly before he replies.

"If you think you have good taste, then you definitely should."

There's something Jisung doesn't understand in the way the corner of Minho's lips tilts a little higher, the blonde's eyes almost challenging, and Felix only blurts out a flustered _oh yeah?_ before the older jabs him lightly in the shoulder.

It ends up pushing Felix back and the boy stumbles, his cheeks and ears gaining a rosy tint as he shuffles in front of the counter, and Jisung can hear a slip of nervousness in his voice as he asks for the album.

Jisung quickly adjusts the face mask that slipped a few millimeters down his nose and he clears his throat before replying.

"Would that be all?"

The boy glances back at Minho, as if searching for an answer and only turns back to Jisung when he sees the older nod.

"Sure."

It's all Jisung needs to hear before ringing him up.

▪

It isn't until five in the morning that Jisung finally gets to go back home.

He's tired, his legs are threatening to give out any moment and on his way back some asshole splashed him while driving by and he's just too exhausted to even feel angry.

Though, when he actually gets to plop face first into his bed, his eyes shut tight, he finds himself unable to fall asleep.

Again, it's not that he's not trying to - just, after having turned to lie some other way for the ninth time and the third over exaggerated sigh in a row, he knew, he just wasn't going to sleep that night.

But what was keeping him from doing so?

His eyebrows knitted and he pursed his lip, deep in thought. Could it be some impulsive action he subconsciously knew wasn't going to end well?

Could it be-

Could it be Felix?

His eyes widened at the realization and he scrambled off the bed, grabbing his phone from the nightstand and throwing a stray flip-flop at the light switch - before falling into the chair in front of his messy desk.

There are tons of papers, folders almost bursting from the amount of notes inside and his eyes scan every single one in rush to find the file on Felix.

Having a folder on every person living in his town is nice, but when he actually has to go through all of them in his search, he feels overwhelmed.

When he looks up at the clock after finally finding the one folder he's been looking for, it's already seven in the morning.

He has no idea when has so much time passed.

He rubs his tired eyes, shaking his shoulders in some sort of delusional victory dance before taking a deep breath and glancing at the open file in front of him.

_Felix Lee_ , read the note, _born on year 2000, Australian_.

There are fears turning in Jisung's mind but he's still not sure what exactly is making his skin crawl as he goes through the notes, skipping a few sentences every now and then and he blinks owlishly, licking his lips and why didn't he make himself a drink before diving into this?

But then his eyes pass over a string of words that make him double take, his heart stopping in his chest for a second, because then it _clicks_.

_Friday evening, at exactly 9 pm Felix will take a plane back to Australia._

Jisung whips back to glance at the calendar, and he knows he's fucked up when he sees that there are only two days left - well, _technically_ , only one by now.

Because he _knows_ , that isn't enough time to get to know each other well enough for it to last.

He slaps his own face for acting so foolishly, letting himself mourn the death of his remaining two brain cells, before diving right back into the notes.

He's messed things up, but he's not going to leave it like that. He's not an asshole.

Felix's relationship with Minho, right with their shared soulmate string might as well straight up disappear, but if there's anyone Felix already knows well, he could help the boy with fishing them up.

You could consider it as, some sort of recompensation.

His lips tilt into a small smile, his mood instantly perking up at the thought of doing a good job when he sees a certain name in between the lines of text.

"A two-year long crush? Buddy, that's what I call loyal," he murmurs to himself, a wide grin already finding its place on his lips, "looks like this is your lucky day."

He glances at the name, reciting it excitedly, before a wave of recognition rushes through him.

"Wait, Changbin?"

▪

Jisung's not quite sure why he's staying up another night, but somehow he finds himself in Minho's room at three in the morning while wearing pajamas and a pair of flippers.

No, what he's doing isn't creepy. This Is literally him just doing his job.

So why does he feel so embarrassed about this, so suddenly?

He purses his lips as he glances at the sleeping boy, his head lying on the desk in an awkward angle, his hands still gripping his phone that somehow still haven't dimmed - a little bit of deja vu and a slip of pure sadness flows over Jisung as he sees the still wet traces on the blonde's cheeks.

"You shouldn't feel this way," he murmurs as he shifts closer, taking the phone from Minho's hands gently and glancing at the screen - a seemingly excited conversation with Felix from barely an hour ago, unsurprisingly mentioning Changbin's name.

_At least he's happy_ , Jisung thinks as he turns off the phone, setting it down next to Minho on the desk, "I'm sure there's someone out there for you," he continues, his gaze softening and he reaches out to pet the boy's head, playing with his soft locks lightly enough not to wake him up, "I'm sorry I made you feel like there isn't."

At that moment, he lets himself admire the other for some time - the way his long eyelashes cast a shadow over his cheeks, the way his lips parted the slightest bit as he slept, the way his chest rose up with his even breathing - it all made Jisung feel some sort of way, he doesn't dare put a name to.

But then Minho's eyes tighten, his mouth falling open and he blurts out a sleepy-sounding, "angel?"

The word has Jisung scrambling back, his heart thudding in his chest and he waits. One second, two, even three pass by and Minho remains silent, calming down Jisung's panic but now the Cupid is reminded of the fact that he shouldn't spend more time here - why did he come here, in the first place?

He bites his lip, padding quickly towards the door, and opening it quietly as he visualizes his own home in his mind - the image of his kitchen appearing in the doorway, a simple way to get hone _fast_ \- but as he leaves, he shoots a one last glance at Minho over his shoulder, and his eyes widen as he sees the blonde staring straight at him, traces of sleep still in his gaze, but then the doors fall shut.

"Please," whispers Jisung as he slides down the door of his house, but he finds himself unable to finish the sentence out loud.

_Please think it's a dream_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _gasp_ are things......... actually Happening?  
>  will minho pass this off as just some Sleep Paralysis Shit??  
> hm. uwu


	5. attempt #4?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> god i'm. so sorry for making y'all wait?? also. this was supposed to be just a cup of fluff like. when,,,, did this fic become angsty,,,,,, i'm sowwy  
> i had The Worst writers block lately and that coupled with me running on a few hours of sleep,, rlly didn't do this chapter justice  
> so?? i'm sorry if this isn't what yall were hoping for?? i Swear the last chapter will be better tho i. don't know how long it'll take me to write it tbh hgksdjgs  
> a n y way, i can barely keep my eyes open tbh so just. this is unbeta'd. and if i wake up tomorrow (today?) to realize i Made A Mistake in this chapter then I Swear To FUck

His hands are shaking despite his best attempts at calming himself down, the tips of his fingers tingling as he reaches out for his favorite cup, pouring down freshly boiled water straight into it, but still leaving some space for milk.

Even when he's nervous, he still can't stand bitter, black coffee, after all.

There's a moment of hesitation as he opens the fridge, a moment of doubt, but he doesn't let himself think about it more, just takes what he needs before adding it to the drink.

The events from earlier today keep meddling with his thoughts, won't leave him as he sips on the burning coffee.

He's too distracted to notice just how hot it is, anyway.

So he takes a shaky breath in, his fingers tapping gently against the cup in hopes to _get his shit together_ \- the silence surrounding him proving itself to be too much for him to bear, the empty kitchen suddenly feeling strange, unfamiliar, maybe even hostile - making him wonder whether some of the higher-ups weren't just playing a trick on him.

Honestly, he wouldn't be surprised if someone decided to fire him for what he just did.

Would he still exist if that was true, though?

He shook his head lightly, putting down the cup onto the counter, his feet shuffling in the spot - anxious, but could anyone really blame him?

Maybe he should glance at Minho's file again. Just to check if it changed in any way, after what happened. Just to calm himself down, at least in some way.

"Stop that," he hisses out loud, but his legs won't listen, his knees shaking even as he walks the entire way from the kitchen to his room, his drink easily forgotten in his haste to get there.

He doesn't need too much time to find the file - it doesn't take as long as the other ones, anyway.

It's because the blonde is his current assignment, so the notes taken on him are separated from the rest, lying a few centimeters away on the other side of the desk, waiting for Jisung, patiently nudging his mind for his attention, until finally he gives in.

It's both nerve-racking and the slightest bit soothing, even if his worry doesn't disappear completely.

His eyes scan the words, page by page, and everything seems normal - nothing too much or out of the ordinary.

There's a pang of disappointment in his chest at the fact.

He's not sure why, since it is good news that Minho isn't alarmed and seems to go through his day like he usually would - so why, why does Jisung feel this way?

His shoulders tense as he doesn't let himself finish that track of thoughts; he doesn't really want to know the answer, anyway.

Instead, he sinks deeper into his chair, his whole attention on the stack of papers in front of him - before his eyes fall on a certain sentence and he sucks in a breath, the page crumbling slightly in his grasp.

He doesn't waste any time while leaving the house right after.

▪

He's not taking any chances today.

Actually entering the building Minho's in, hoping that the blonde wouldn't notice him this time, would be too risky - so instead, he just peers inside by snaking by the window. Not too close, and on the side, enough so that he can always duck behind the wall if anyone decides to spontaneously glance his way.

The wind is light at the moment, a cold breeze passing by and tickling the back of his neck smugly - he's pretty sure he can hear voices reaching him from the inside of the building.

He tilts his head to the side, squinting at the image of a waiting room. There, Minho's sitting on a plating chair by the wall, clearly not as comfortable as he'd like it to. Next to his legs lays an empty box - Jisung's eyebrows tighten as he tries to remember how it's called.

Needless to say, he fails.

So his eyes travel upwards, locking on the ball of fur in the boy's lap.

Okay, maybe not a _ball of fur_ \- as its ears flick harshly, as if it sensed his thoughts. The cat doesn't seem injured in any way, which eases his worries a tiny bit, but he doesn't let himself forget that this is exactly the place he's at - the vet.

"What's her name?"

The words startle Jisung and he flinches, quickly hiding under the window when he sees two heads turn his way. After a few seconds though, he stands upright again, finally noticing the presence of another boy in the room.

His hair is ruffled up, his frame kind of small, yet Jisung assumes the boy must be taller than him - and when he smiles widely, a pair of dimples appears, along with braces previously hidden behind his lips.

"Soonie," comes the reply, Minho's voice surprisingly soothing for his nerves, "I'm not sure what's wrong with her, to be honest. She's just been acting kinda, weird, lately."

The younger boy's smile falters at that, his face losing its light before it brightens up once again, if not even beaming much more than just seconds ago.

"I'm sure it's nothing too bad. And even if it is, my dad is _great_ at his job, so don't worry," he reassures, gaining himself a confused glance from both Jisung and Minho, the latter's eyes widening almost comically as he stares at the other blankly,

"You're... the son of Mr. Yang?"

The boy only nods, his eyes glinting cheerfully in the light, "yeah! Why else would I even be here, without any pet in the first place?"

That's when Jisung wants to slap himself for not figuring that out earlier - he doesn't do it though, he's hiding for a reason, after all.

"That makes sense, actually," says Minho, finally back to his, more or less, stoic expression - but then his eyebrows rise up slightly, the corner of his lips tilting up as he opens his mouth - probably to make a pun, or something like that, Jisung guesses - when the door suddenly opens and a shout of Minho's full name steals their attention.

It's the exact moment when Jisung decides he's seen enough - so he shuffles away, dragging his fit on the mix of dry dirt and fallen leaves, and a huff leaves his lips.

He's just glad the situation isn't as bad as he first thought it was.

▪

He doesn't know what to do.

It's not like he can just show up and hope for the best - assuming that Minho either doesn't remember or took it as a simple hallucination - but at the same time, he can't just drop the case either.

So what does he end up doing? He goes to the library that Minho works at, of course.

It might be a dumb idea, the worst even, but let's be real, that's the only option he has left.

It's awkward, the way he peeks in before shuffling inside, his fingers tapping a rhythm into his thigh - a nervous tick he's never managed to get rid of. His hair is a mess, that he's sure of, and the sleeves of his shirt are wrinkled, but he keeps them no mind and walks into one of the aisles.

Here's the thing, though. He's a Cupid. He's never had the time to read any human books. He barely even knows the culture - and the fact doesn't help his situation.

He leans all his weight on one foot, slowly shifting it to the other as his eyes wander around the various shelves, all the different colors and textures. And it probably shows, just how confused he is, because in no time he heads footsteps, striding confidently up to him; Jisung turns around just in time to see the newcomer stop right in front of him.

"Need some help?" asks Woojin, his voice void of any judgment Jisung was scared there would be, and the boy sends a genuine, crooked smile at him - it kind of takes him aback, just how nice the other is.

"Yeah," he mumbles, his gaze falling to the floor as he fidgets with the rips on his jeans, pulling at the strings anxiously, "I've never had time to read much, and now... I don't really know where to begin, to be honest."

It takes him a few seconds of silence to glance up again, unsure, but then he notices the way Woojin's eyes soften and the boy tilts his head, humming quietly as he thinks.

"That's okay," he murmurs in the end, letting his hands rest on his hips when he speaks up again, "do you have any favorite genres? Or, I mean, something you'd think you would like?"

Jisung only juts out his lower lip in response.

It gains him an amused chuckle from the other, and Woojin shakes his head lightly before continuing, "like, thriller? Or maybe romance? You look like you'd like romance."

His shoulders stiffen for a moment, which he hides by scratching the back of his neck and he shoots Woojin a quick, calculating look - but the other doesn't seem either suspicious or to be joking, his eyebrows only rising as he waits for a reply, and Jisung nods his head sharply.

"Yeah, I mean... sure, you're right! I think," he stumbles over his words, and Woojin's eyes glint amusedly, yet the boy doesn't laugh - and Jisung is glad for that.

Instead, the other marches up to one of the shelves, his eyes scanning the books quickly. He throws over the shoulder a hushed _come here_ , which Jisung doesn't dare question, and the next thing he knows is that there's a book being almost shoved into his hands.

He blinks, confused, grabbing it more securely and he looks at Woojin quizzically.

"I think this one would suit your taste," is the only explanation the taller boy offers, but then he looks around and shifts a little closer, the volume of his voice dropping to a whisper, "also, it's Minho's favorite."

Jisung nods slowly, before the words actually register in his mind and he blurts out, "wait, Minho?"

At that, Woojin just glances away, shrugging his shoulders lightly - the action causes a stray lock of hair to fall into his eyes, which he scrunches his nose at and he says, "yeah, I've seen you talk with him once," he pauses, his gaze back on Jisung, and the corner of his lips tilts up as he continues "you seemed kinda... dazed."

Jisung can only sputter at the way Woojin smiles, as if he knew something that Jisung didn't - but before he can reply, the other pats his shoulder reassuringly with a murmur of _I'm counting on you_. Then, with a single wink, he's gone.

And Jisung's left to stare at the book in his hands in confusion.

▪

It doesn't occur to him until the next time he sees Minho - and Jeongin as well, for that matter.

He did check out the latter's file before, just, out of curiosity. Though, it only struck him when he went on a walk, his shoes slipping against the wet pavement and he scrunched his nose at the fog tickling at his cheeks - it's cold, so cold, and he never learns from his mistakes apparently, because the jacket he's thrown on, again, isn't enough and the chill breeze seeps through his clothes, a constant reminder of just how much time he's been spending in the human world lately.

It's kind of uncomfortable, the tilting feeling at his lower back - it doesn't belong here. _He_ doesn't belong here.

But he ignores the nagging voice in his mind, burrowing his hands deeper into the pockets of his jacket and he only picks up his pace, in hopes of distracting himself from these thoughts.

He hears them before he actually sees them.

It's just a muffled chuckle passed by the wind, a distinct whisper followed by the sound of rustling fabric and uncontrollable giggle - and then, as Jisung takes a turn on his heel, his eyes searching for the source of the noise, until they land on a silhouette that's barely visible in the mist surrounding it.

He squints, trying to see past it; and sure enough, the picture of Jeongin and Minho walking side by side clear before him, the latter ruffling the younger's hair with a smug smile as Jeongin whines for him to stop - and it's just, it has this comfortable vibe about it that Jisung doesn't fully understand.

So he doesn't dare question it.

Instead, his gaze falls to their linked hands, tugging at each other lightly every now and then - their pinkies lacking the presence of a soulmate link that he's already so used to seeing, and he decides, that maybe this time he's not going to intervene.

With this case, he's already messed up so many times - so maybe it's better this way.

Of course, if the things don't seem to go too well later, he can try tying the string on their pinkies - but for now? He just watches the two slowly inch away from him.

And just a few puns later, and an elbow nudging the other into the ribs, they're gone from his sight.

If he stays in the same place for the next ten minutes, his chest feeling somewhat dull, the only witness is the rising sun behind his back.

▪

He's twirling a straw in between his fingers lazily, glancing over his shoulder at the other customers currently in the coffee shop, a few familiar faces he's already got to actually see, while the rest he could recall from the countless files piled on his desk in his bedroom.

There's Changbin sitting by one of the tables - phone in his hand, a cup of tea easily forgotten despite standing right in front of him, and Jisung's not quite sure, but he can hear the other calling Felix's name with a scolding glint in his eyes. The corner of his lips turns up the slightest bit though, as if he was holding himself back from grinning.

He opens his mouth again to say something, but his words get lost in the hum of the casual chatter in the café - and Jisung turns to his own drink once again, staring at it blankly as he thinks.

Or, maybe the right word would be _tries to_.

Really, his mind is blank. Maybe, besides the few images that keep coming back just to spite him, the scene from today's morning stubbornly refusing to leave him be.

And then, as if irony wasn't playing with him too much enough lately, the bell above the door chimes cheerfully and Jisung doesn't need to look to know exactly who enters. Instead, he just pulls the beanie a little lower, hopefully enough so nobody recognizes him and he sips on the sickly sweet coffee.

He can see, in the dim reflection in the window, Minho and Jeongin taking a seat not too far from where Changbin's sitting - an arm thrown carelessly over a shoulder, knees knocking under the table - Jisung can't bring himself to watch anymore.

But right before he averts his gaze, mirror-Minho looks straight at him, gone as soon as Jisung looks back up to check if he was right.

The feeling of being watched doesn't disappear though, and the only reasonable thing he can think of doing is leaving the coffee shop - so he does just that.

The hot gaze on the back of his head only eases when the doors close after him.

▪

It's one of the rare warm days when Jisung steps out of his house and realizes he has no recollection of the past week.

He stares, dumbfounded, at the date in the corner of the screen of his phone, his lips parting in shock that he's quick to hide in case anyone happened to glance at him at that exact moment.

It's normal, for him to disappear from the human world for days, sometimes weeks even - it's a part of his job, really. But usually, he _doesn't_ just simply forget the entire thing.

So he gulps down the panic tickling at his throat, his hand reaching up to fiddle with one of his earrings and he walks.

He doesn't bother to think about where he's walking, just lets his legs lead the way as he puts on a pair of headphones and tunes out the rest of the town.

It feels like only a few minutes have passed before he finds himself in front of the same bench he has waited for Hyunjin that one evening; a quick glance around and no signs of the cat later, he can't help but sigh at the fact.

What makes him slide down the headphones and let them rest on top of his shoulders are the, almost annoyingly familiar voices.

"What are you doing?"

There's no judgment in the way Jeongin says this, his words only laced with pure curiosity - and Jisung turns to look at the boy, sitting under one of the trees, his head tilted down, smiling confusedly at the blonde sprawled on the ground, face half buried in the surprisingly green grass.

"Soaking up the sun," mumbles Minho, his eyes shut tightly and Jisung just hums, sounding even more confused, if that's even possible at this point.

"The tree overshadows like half of your body, though?"

Only that makes Minho crack open one eye, a silent _do not ask_ before closing it back again.

For the next two minutes, it's silent.

It makes Jisung kind of uncomfortable, to be honest.

It's stupid, how he should probably be used to the silence by now. After all, half of his life he's spent lurking in the corners, watching his assignments from afar until the case was clear - and yet, he finds himself shuffling in place, the tips of his fingers tickling from anxiety.

Until finally, the silence breaks.

Even if only by a quiet shuffle as Jeongin moves, the grass crinkling under his weight and the boy leans down slowly, one of his hands resting by Minho's head - the latter humming in questions before his eyes flutter open.

It happens quickly, too quick for Jisung to catch until a few seconds later he stares at Jeongin with his lips grazing the older's cheek, as Minho tilted his head to the side in the last second.

When Jeongin pulls back, it's with something akin to hurt written on his face, and it shows as he speaks up, "why did you do that?"

"I'm... sorry," murmurs Minho slowly, taking his time while looking for the right words to use, "there's already someone on my mind, I'm sorry," he looks away for a second, but then he reached out his hand and brings the younger closer into a comforting hug, and if his fingers tremble a little neither of them bring it up.

It doesn't take long for the other to bury closer, his arms gripping at Minho's shoulders lightly.

"You don't... mind?"

Jeongin's voice is muffled and Jisung can barely hear it, but he can still tell off the traces of sadness, now outshines by the sudden hope, followed by an amused chuckle from the blonde.

"Of course not, dummy. It's okay, you're my friend, and friends smooch each other on the cheek sometimes, right?"

Jisung can't really blame Jeongin for slapping Minho's side at that - but after that, he notices, it's like a weight got lifted from his chest.

For the first time in a while, he smiles at the sight of the two cuddling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i?? hope u liked this?? somehow????  
> yeah.. please leave some feedback if u did??  
> now,, ana's out for tonight, b y e

**Author's Note:**

> if you liked this, please leave some feedback, it would probably motivatee me more to finish writing this quicker you know?? also my tumblr is @straymemes, if you wanna hmu uwu


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